Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-07-05

coon 70 REVERT 70 FIRsT PaINofPLHi
It is good TO reYert at stated periods
to fundamental principles. Such prin
cipies do not keep themselves alive
On the contrary they are liable TO b
forgotten and die out, AS an instancl
o i5thls, right among ourselves and q
this day, and instance which concerns
us personally, how many peopl,
say, that the people Of Dako
ia have NO part nor lot in the princi
pies OF the Declaration OF Independence
e we are to trust to newspaper re-
ports, there are men in high positions
who seem to know no better.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
VERSUS COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.
The Declaration Of Independence waa
o protest OF the colonies against anJ
government imposed uron them CONTRARY
to the will of their own people. The
law OF the British Empire was on the
side Of the British Government and
against the colonies. Parliament was
Huprcme. IL claimed. and correctly, that
Gnder the constitution Of the British
Empire, Parliament had absolute con-
trcl over the colonies. That the COLONIES
hid no right. except, those that Perlia-
tnent granted them. The power con-
tended for by the British cabinet and
lawyers, WRs she power to govern abso-
lutely, and to tax the people OF the
COLONIES without representation. What
mi forefathers commended for vas this
that the people of the colonies had d
right to be represented in parliament,
and that taxation and government with.
ont representation was uDiust, tyran-
nicaI, iliegsl and Unconstitutional.
The war Of the revelation was waged
upon this issue.
The Americana won and conquered
their Independence on this Issue.
They asserted the right OF any peo-
pie, at any time, to alter or abolish their
government and to institute q new gov
ernment.
Here are their words:
I'VE hold these trntha TO be aelf-eyi.
dent that ell men are created equal;
that thcy are endowed by their Creator
with certain ~nnAIienable rights: that
among these are life, liberty and the
'pursuitios happiness."
THAT TO secure these rights, govern
sments are instituted among men. de-
irving their just powers from the con-
sent OF the governed
THAT whenever any government be-
comes destructive of THESE ends, 1T is
the right Of the people to alter, or to.
abolish it, and to institute new eoyern-
'ment. laying it's foundation on such
principles, and organizing Its powers
most likely to eject their safety and
shappiness.'1
Thesesgrast principles, each OF Theses
States embodied in their State Uonstitu-
tions, snd they have remained from
that tifne 70 this, the admitted prin-
ciples OF the American Govern ment.
On this principle the American Coy
ernment stands.
This principle which the United Col
onies Of America first announced. on the
fourth dHy OF July 1776, the people OF
the Colony OF, Dakota, might we'll, and
safely, and rightly repeat and follow, on
this fourth day Of July 1887.
When, after the establishment OF their
new government, some OF the states
ceded to the General Government GER
tain territory, and the question cams np
how the General Government could
govern the people in such territory, na
~coloniEts, under their term Of govern
msnt and new principles, the Statesmen,
OF that day were 6orely Embarrassed.
They conceded on ali sides, that for col
oniea, which had Just established their
Independence, IN the ground that colo
NAL government was unjust and tyran-
nical, to begin their existence by estab-
fishing colonies themselves, wonid be
the rnoat Migrant inconsistency, and q
mont dangerous departure from first
principles. The abiest statesmen OF that
Gay denied, thai there was any power
IN the general government, to establish
and govern g colony. II was, however,
admitted by all, that ID was % good and
desirable thing, that the State OF Virgin
~ should oade to the General Govern
msnt, that vast region OF the Northwest
| Territory.
So, they finally rsconoilad these two con.
Ginting ideas, by 8 compromise by which
while recognizing the principle that
there wei no power In iha general GOV.
eminent to establish permanent colonies
yet that Tor the sake OF protecting the
settlers In those reRions and as q matter
OF aecessity, during he time that they
were unable 70 gov rsI themselves the
general government should undertake
the work OF preserving law and order
for them but that this power should not
be exercised mi moment longer than
the people of such territory were willing
or able to govern themselves,
And thus D the second great char
ter Of orr liberty. of which the, Decfara-
tionof independence WAS the arst, the
great Ordinance Of l787.
TRETwo u~oNFLfcrs.
This county iHyet In it's formative
period. We have passed through two
great struggles. FIRST the conflict OF
the revolution, second tbs conflict Of the
rebellion.
The arat conflict decided, that this
country should be Independent. III
central idea of that struggle was, tie
right 1.-THE people TO govern themselves.
This WAS It's cardinal principle.
The second struggle decided. that
this country should forever, be one. and
its people. all its people free,
The cardinal principle OF this struggle
waH stated In inspired words, by the
great LincolD, in that wonderful speech
at Gettysburg: that memorable speech
which stands ont, the greatest ever
spoken In any language: q speech which
ranks its author in the front rank OF the
World greatest Before Webster,
Burke, Bacon and; Goethe.
lnSthe trent rank OF the seers or the
world, along with Moses, Isaiah, Paul
and John.
Well might Edward Everett say. as
he did, to Lincoln. at the conclusion OF
that memorable speech, that he would
give all that he had ever written OF
spoken. to be the author OF that single
speech.
Nothing like it was ever ssid on this
continent, before or since. except In his
second inaugural. Nothing like il has